Presley alerts farmers to new sales tax break on energy bills

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley is notifying agricultural businesses in Mississippi of a change in tax law that may lower their utility bills.

The change, which went into effect July 1, exempts certain agricultural business from being charged state sales tax on their energy bills, particularly bills for electric and natural gas service.

The new exemption applies where energy is purchased from a utility to be used directly in the production of poultry or poultry products, livestock and livestock products, domesticated fish and domesticated fish products, marine aquaculture products, plants or food by commercial horticulturists, the processing of milk and milk products, the processing of poultry and livestock feed,or the irrigation of farm crops.

The legislation that created the exemptions, House Bill 844, was passed in 2013.